ty peach i moved and haven't seen the soup for a while. i have been watching the batch though..and brad has been a cry baby saying for give me every other word but i have liked this show for years and i allways watch...

As much as I would love to begin this weekís blog by talking about the cardigan I wore last week or the driveway being wet, we obviously need to discuss the most talked about controversial moment of the season. Let me first explain how Emily actually ended up on this date. We planned all these trips and dates before Emily was ever cast on this show and we learned of her story. There were only three dates in Vegas, a one-on-one date, a group date, and the two-on-one date. Emily wasnít getting the one-on-one as she had recently had one and Brad wanted to spend some time with Shawntel. Emily definitely wasnít going to be put on the two-on-one date for several reasons, one being Brad didnít want that. So that left one date, and that turned out to be the group date to the NASCAR track. Now with all that said, Iím not telling you at this point that we were completely naÔve and didnít know her story and that we didnít discuss the situation. What we eventually decided to do is what we always decide to do when faced with situations like this: Donít mess with the true emotion and situation. You need to remember that Brad who helped us decide who goes on what dates still had no idea the full extent of Emilyís story, and that information couldnít come from us.

So, bottom line, Emily did end up on this group date and ended up at the very NASCAR track her former fiancť Ricky crashed on to end his racing career. As you saw, what you may have thought would be a disastrous situation turned out to be one of the most heartfelt, beautiful moments weíve ever had on this show. As Emily said herself, it turned out to be extremely symbolic and therapeutic for her to get in that car and take those laps for Ricky and herself. You very much got the feeling that night that a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders, and it seems Emily is really ready to take that next step and let somebody else in her heart. I talked to Brad after this date in Vegas and it hit him very hard. He obviously felt guilty and sorry for her, but it also turned out to be a very positive step for them as a couple. I can also tell you that now that Brad knows everything, this will really weigh on his mind as he and Emily continue. This is a lot for any man to handle, and Brad is understandably a little intimidated. He put on a brave face that night and gave Emily the rose, but this is something that he will obviously have to continue to deal with. Iíve said this before and Iíll say it again, no matter what happens on this show Emily is one of the strongest, bravest women Iíve ever met. I continue to marvel at how she has chosen to remain so positive and ambitious when she has every right to do just the opposite.

Like Brad did on the group date I may have spent too much time on Emily here but I know thatís what everybody is talking about today. The first date Brad had with Shawntel was fantastic. Is there a woman in the world that wouldnít love to have a guy take her to a high-end shopping center and say, ďWhatever you want is yoursĒ? Obviously when Shawntel walked back into the suite with all those bags the girls went nuts and she knew it. The other women were already nervous and jealous of Shawntel but this sent them off the charts. Speaking of off the charts, the girlsí suite at Aria was ridiculous. This two-story suite with fifty-foot ceilings made Rain Manís suite look like a trailer. When you go to Vegas you gotta have a little fun, so some of the ladies decided to get a little crazy. Ashley H, Ashley S, Marissa, Lisa, and Alli decided to go out and get tattoos. Because we donít do anything normal, we hooked them up with Mario Barth at King Ink at the Mirage. This might surprise you but Iím not a big ďtatĒ guy, but this dude is a legend. He generally has a two-year waiting list and did tats for celebs like Lenny Kravitz, Usher, Stallone, and many more. The two Ashleys got matching roses right above their ankles. Ashley S got hers in blue to honor her father (Kentucky bluegrass). Lisa got a rose tattoo below her ankle. Marissa got a white rose on her wrist. Alli chickened out ó or wised up, depending on how you look at it ó and didnít get one. We did shoot this but because it was such an emotional episode it just didnít fit and we didnít have time to do so anyway.

So it turned out to be a little sad irony that the two Ashleys were such good friends and got matching tattoos, because they ended up on the two-on-one date. Oh, did I mention that they were such good friends they slept in the same bed with that big teddy bear you saw at the end of the show? The girls were positive Alli and Britt would be the two on this date. Once the two Ashleys found out, they spent the entire day crying. They didnít want to compete against each other but in the end this isnít about building a friendship with each other, itís about finding love with Brad. This date and this situation really brought out some insecurities in Ashley S. It was almost like she knew she wasnít going to get the rose the moment she got picked for the date. Her tearful goodbye was really tough to watch. Sheís a very sweet girl and you just wanted to give the poor girl a hug.

Before I leave you, we have to talk a little bit about Michelle. I want to remind you that Brad doesnít know anything that he doesnít see or hear for himself. Iíd like to get your opinion on if you think that at this point Michelle is playing Brad perfectly. She seems to know just what to say and just what to do to keep Brad on edge and interested. We did shoot deliberation in Vegas, but again because we had so much to show you we didnít have time to include it. I promise you will get to see this in future episodes and Iím happy you will, because sitting down with Brad in these sessions was very interesting and insightful. Marissa was one of the ladies who didnít receive a rose this week. Brad handed her a note as she was leaving. He did this because she had written him notes along the way. It was a thank you and a heartfelt belief that she would find the right guy. It made her cry and gave her closure.

This is just the beginning of our travels around the world this season. One thing weíve added that I love is giving the girls their own flip cameras to shoot as they travel. From time to time weíll include some of their video in the show. Next week we leave the desert of Vegas for the rain forest of Costa Rica. By the way, if you donít think your comments are being heard how about this: So many of you voiced your opinions about the ladiesí ages not being included, we have decided to bring them back. Starting next week the womenís ages will be included. One last very personal note this week, last Thursday (1/27) marked the ten-year anniversary of the Oklahoma State basketball team plane crash in Colorado. Among the ten onboard that plane was the voice of the Cowboys and my mentor Bill Teegins. I canít begin to tell you how talented Bill was, what a great man he was and what he meant to my career. Remembering the OSU 10 this week! Thanks as always for watching the show and please leave your comments below or find me on twitter @chrisbharrison. You can also follow all things Bachelor at our new site.

TEMPERATURES AND PASSIONS RISE WHEN BRAD AND THE WOMEN JET TO LUSH,TROPICAL COSTA RICA, WHERE THE BACHELORETTES TRY TO PROVE THEIR LOVETO HIM, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7

"Episode 1506" - The eight excited women break out their passports to travel to the lush, tropical country of Costa Rica. The stakes are ratcheted up as Chantal gets a second one-on-one date to zipline through the thick jungle. But when rain threatens to dampen their spirits, but will it cool off their passion? Brad escorts six bachelorettes on a challenging date to the middle of the rain forest, where he and the women must rappel down a waterfall. The night turns serious as Brad surprises all the ladies with his rose selection. Then Alli gets her first individual date, but has to face her greatest fear when she and Brad explore a cave together. And Michelle decides to pay the Bachelor an unexpected late night visit in his room... will it be hot - or not? Dramatic revelations at the rose ceremony kick everyone's emotions into high gear. Only six women will remain on the journey to the romantic Caribbean island of Anguilla, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The women are in awe at the sight of an active volcano in their luxurious Springs Resort and Spa, but they don't have long to speculate about who gets the first date. Chantal can't wait for her second one-on-one date with Brad, and the couple take a panoramic helicopter ride through the lush countryside before ziplining through the jungle. Love is in the air - but so is rain. The skies open up and ruin Brad's plans for a romantic outdoor dinner. Will the rain wash out romance altogether, or will the two heat up the night?

Six competitive bachelorettes meet Brad in the middle of the rain forest for their group date in which they'll attempt to rappel down a waterfall. Michelle, who has had a rappelling date with Brad, really doesn't want him sharing that kind of close connection with the other five women. Afterwards, Brad takes the ladies to relax at a romantic hot springs, but things turn serious in a hurry when one woman reveals her tendency to sabotage relationships and another questions Brad's decision making. However his decision about whom he'll offer the rose takes all the women by surprise.

Alli gets the last one-on-one date this week. Brad arrives on horseback to take her away for a ride through the Costa Rican countryside. They jump off to explore a 40 million-year-old cave together. Little does Brad know that Alli is terrified of bugs and will be facing her greatest fear inside the cave, where spiders and bats abound. Later that night, Brad tries to dazzle her with a candle-lit dinner, but will sparks fly as Brad hopes, or will he be forced to say good-bye? And still the Bachelor's night isn't over... Michelle feels the need for more alone time with Brad and sneaks into his room, much to his surprise. Things start out with a kiss, but how do they end?

Brad is full of mixed emotions about his upcoming decisions. At the cocktail party, the women really let their feelings show. One swooning bachelorette tells Brad she's fallen in love with him, while Michelle leaves the other bachelorettes in shocked silence when she owns up to making a clandestine visit to Brad's room the previous night. How will things turn out for both of these ladies? And another woman's romantic journey ends in tears when she is stunned to be sent home.

However, Brad has the courage of his convictions and the six women left with roses will accompany him to the beautiful, blissful Caribbean island of Anguilla.

Michelle is Stalker and i think her time is gonna be up soon enough. brad look pretty annoyed with her when they had their talk before the rose ceremony.

here's the recarp of it: she sits him down tells him he cant talk then tells him that he needs to send some girls home. all the while aftter each time she makes a statement she kisses him and at the end, when she's done telling him what he needs to do she then makes out with him and says you can talk next time and drags him outa the chair/room back to the other girls!

Michelle is Stalker and i think her time is gonna be up soon enough. brad look pretty annoyed with her when they had their talk before the rose ceremony.

here's the recarp of it: she sits him down tells him he cant talk then tells him that he needs to send some girls home. all the while aftter each time she makes a statement she kisses him and at the end, when she's done telling him what he needs to do she then makes out with him and says you can talk next time and drags him outa the chair/room back to the other girls!

OMG can you say obsessive/possesive?

i totaly agree, she is a controll freak out of control! omg brad , realy needs to wake the he77 up..

The viewers have spoken and the womenís ages are back. This should let you know that we do try to listen to our fans and when we can give them what they want. The ladies were extremely excited to head to Costa Rica even though most of them had no idea exactly where it was, and most thought it was an island. That changed on the long plane ride south as all the girls read up on the country and quickly became experts on all things Costa Rica. We stayed at the beautiful exclusive Spring Resort deep in the Arenal region of the country. It was a long two to three hour ride inland from the airport. As you saw it was literally at the foot of an active volcano. Not sure what our fascination is with volcanoes the last couple seasons, but if it ainít broke donít fix it. When I say this volcano is active I mean very active. It actually erupted several times while we were there. You can hear rocks falling down the mountain and if youíre lucky at night you can see lava shooting and spilling out. The resort was completely shut down for us much to the dismay of several tourists. One day a couple of us were on a tour bus returning from a zip line trip with a few other American tourists. When we pulled up to the Spring Resort the tourists wondered how we could be staying here when they were told it was closed for the week. I sat in the back of the bus with my hat and shades on, they had no idea who we were or why we were there. The girls loved the resort and the suite but were quickly sent into a tailspin when the first date card was delivered for Chantal.

The girls pretty much expected the first date to go to Alli or Britt who had not had a one-on-one yet. They pretended not to care, but of course they did. Chantalís connection with Brad really leaped forward and she became the first of the women to tell Brad that she loves him. Notice I said the firstÖ I love how the sudden rainstorm surprised Brad and Chantal. Thereís a reason they call it a rain forest. The zip line tour they took is a once in a lifetime adventure. The particular tour we all got to do had seven total zip lines through the canopy of the rain forest ó the last being a half-mile long, the longest zip line in the world, or so we were told. I know there seems to be quite a bit of animosity between Michelle and the other ladies and to a certain degree there is, but she was very helpful to the other ladies in Costa Rica. Being a hairstylist and seeing as how we were in a hot humid forest, she had her work cut out for her. She was flat-ironing, styling, and braiding all week. Back at the suite Alli was having a little bug problem. Chantal was just trying to help the poor bug outside but Alli freaked out so bad when Chantal came close she threw that full glass of Coke at her. The glass shattered everywhere. No humans or bugs were hurt in the shooting of that scene. I canít say so much for the ones unlucky enough to end up in my room.

Because of the bug issue Alli and Chantal decided to play a little prank on the other ladies and put twigs in their beds so they would think it was bugs when they climbed in. This was a colossal failure as a gag, but it was still kind of funny. As fantastic as the zip line date was my favorite adventure while we were in Costa Rica was the rappelling. You only got to see the first big rappel on this date but thereís actually a series of about seven rappels down different waterfalls and then a short hike out of the rain forest. It was unlike anything we have ever done before. If youíre ever in the neighborhood I highly recommend doing both the zip line and rappelling adventures. Letís deal a little bit with Michelle. She is easily the most talked about woman this season and the woman I get asked the most about. Up to this point she has been very careful about how sheís been playing Brad, but this week he started to see through that. For the first time, Brad seemed less intrigued and turned on by her and more confused and even a little frustrated. As for her late night visit, Michelle waited until all the other girls had gone to sleep before she quietly snuck out. Again the entire property was ours so it wasnít difficult for her to find his place, which was just above their suite.

The cocktail party started off with a very strange vibe. The other girls felt like something was not right. It was interesting listening to them as they tried to put this puzzle together. Shawntel and Chantal wouldnít let it go and were determined to figure this out. They pretty much knew but didnít want to call Michelle out as the one who gave Brad grief for not handing out a date rose. Well as you saw, they finally flushed her out and she admitted to sneaking up to see him. The two women who were sent home this week pretty much fell into the same category: ďfriends.Ē As Brad explained on his date, Alli is a great woman but Brad just knew there just wasnít that spark or that deep connection that he already has with some of the other women. Jackie also fell victim to this. The further this goes and the more serious it gets, the more you can see the changes in Brad. The way he called Michelle on her B.S. or the conversation with Emily is a good example of how he now confronts situations head on. This is a much improved man with a clear vision of what he now wants and it was good to see this side of him because it gets much, much tougher from here on out.

As confused as some of the women were about Costa Rica, Brad really threw them for a loop when he told them we were going to Anguilla. They were extremely excited, but then really wanted to know where it was. Iím sure many of you are also going to have to check the atlas. The easiest way to find it is to find St. Martin and then find the small island right next door. Thatís her, and thatís where we set up camp next week for what turns out to be a very pivotal episode. I think you can see how things are coming to a head with many of the ladies. Something about a little sunshine and salt water forces things to a boiling point. Check out the map and Iíll see you on the island next week.

Stalker Michelle soooo needs too go! but i fear with the excerpts for the upcoming shows that are left some of the others will crumble and make brads choices for him.

Drats first we had "fang chic" and now "stalker girl" and wtheck was that knock on the door crap! didnt know they could just invite themselves to his place. I'm sure that will take place more often on upcoming bachelor shows

WITH HOMETOWN DATES LOOMING, THE BACHELORETTES FALL ALL OVER THEMSELVES -- AND BRAD -- TO SHOW THEIR REAL FEELINGS FOR HIM IN ROMANTIC ANGUILLA, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14

A Sexy Photo Shoot for the Acclaimed Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition Makes for a Steamy But Contentious Group Date

Brad Makes Some Shocking Decisions That Leave the Women Reeling

"Episode 1507" - The pressure is mounting on Brad as he struggles to decide which four women he will escort home to meet their families. But first, the remaining six bachelorettes continue their adventurous trip around the world to the romantic Caribbean island of Anguilla. Emily soars to new heights with Brad on a helicopter tour of the island, but storm clouds gather for the couple when the possibility of a hometown date and the prospect of Brad meeting Emily's daughter are discussed. Then Shawntel and Brad use the island as their personal playground as this outspoken bachelorette makes her feelings known. Brad takes Britt for her first one-on-one date, and it's up to the Bachelor to make sure the romantic connection is electric. Finally, Ashley H., Chantal and Michelle get an early wake-up call from Brad to participate in a seductive shoot for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. Emotions are raw and revealing -- in more ways than one -- but Brad has still another surprise for the women when he cancels the cocktail party, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

After Brad and the bachelorettes settle in at their new luxurious surroundings at the CuisinArt Resort and Spa, the Bachelor swoops in to take Emily on a helicopter tour of the panoramic island scenery. They set down on a deserted island for a romantic dinner, but things turn serious fast when the talk turns to the upcoming hometown visits and the inevitable issue confronting the couple about whether Brad should meet Emily's daughter. Is the question answered? And what surprise announcement does Brad have in store for Emily?

The next day, Brad and Shawntel bicycle through the streets of Anguilla, stopping at a farmers market to pick up some local cuisine for a playful picnic. Shawntel makes sure Brad knows how she feels about him. Later, after a romantic beach dinner, Brad surprises the bachelorette with a performance by Anguillan reggae superstar Bankie Banx. They hit the dance floor and finish the night on a moonlit beach sharing a kiss.

The other women look on green with envy as Brad takes Britt to a luxury yacht for her first one-on-one date. Everything seems to be going swimmingly, but everyone is shocked by an unexpected decision Brad is forced to make.

The alarm rings at 2 a.m. for Ashley H., Chantal and Michelle, as Brad wakes them for the unbelievable experience of being photographed for the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition (out on February 15). Ashley and Chantal really heat things up, while Michelle insists on posing for her sexy shoot with Brad. The competition gets a little out of hand and Brad needs to comfort and reel in the distressed women at the after party. One woman calls him out for being disconnected, and another bachelorette shows a side of herself that the Bachelor has never seen. Brad's choice for the rose leaves the other two women extremely distressed.

When the women arrive at a gorgeous beachfront villa for the cocktail party, Brad is nowhere to be seen, and they wonder what is wrong. A determined Bachelor has cancelled the cocktail party, and at the rose ceremony he narrows the field to the four lucky bachelorettes who will take him to their hometowns to meet their families.

OK so the cats outa the bag! Michelle is GONE! she sealed her own fate with that whole beach scene. im actually glad that Brad saw all that for what it was!

I felt bad for Brittney.. she had to swim out to that yatch! she is soo skinny i dont know how long it took her to swim that whole distance! Again glad brad told her tht there was no chemistry so she didnt have to endure anymore wasted waiting.

OHH EMILY!!! i think you're a darling! you deserve soo much better! BUT If you do wind up with Brad I believe in your choice!

for the sake of Emily i hope it comes down to both Chantel/Shawntel ths way ABC will give Emily her shot at being the bachelorette if she chooses that path!

what's the deal with brad..he cant say these womans FULL NAME! em, ash, brit, it's not like they are LONG HARD names just leaves me fealing uncomfy when he speaks to them "in a romantic setting"

We packed our bags, left the rain forest in Costa Rica for the beautiful Cuisin Art resort on the island of Anguilla (pronounced like vanilla). Once the girls figured out where this island was they were extremely excited. I flew in on the same flight with the ladies and it didnít take long for our cover to be blown. Tourists were quickly snapping pictures of the ladies in the St. Martin airport. Anguilla is a short boat ride away from St. Martin, and the women loved the speedboat cruise across the crystal blue ocean to our island getaway. Like in Costa Rica, we once again had the entire resort to ourselves. It makes it so much easier when the cast and crew donít have to worry about whoís watching what weíre up to. Once the ladies got settled in their private villa, the first one-on-one date was set between Brad and Emily. There are not a lot of helicopters around this island so we had to bring one in from a different island which also means a different country. Apparently it got held up in customs, so the date was delayed. That bit where Brad and Emily sat on the bench and had a glass of champagne wasnít planned. It was quickly improvised once we realized their transportation wasnít coming any time soon.

Once the chopper arrived it took the couple to the private little place called Sandy Island. Was it just me or did anybody else catch the humorous irony that the island was very much in the shape of a maleÖ well letís say manhood? If you didnít catch that Iíll give you a minute to go back and check it out before we continue. I wasnít kidding. Couple things stood out to me about this date, other than the shape of the island. First of all it was important to Brad that he make a good impression on Emily and get permission to meet her daughter. This was the first time I can remember anybody telling someone they would definitely be getting a rose prior to a rose ceremony. Brad did this to make sure Emily knew just how he felt and that he was very serious about wanting to meet Emilyís little girl. Speaking of Brad it was good to see him in a good mood in Anguilla. He had a rough week in Costa Rica and was having a tough time with everything. By the time he got to Anguilla he was in a much better state of mind. I got to spend a lot of time with Brad on the island. We had breakfast together just about every morning we were there. It was kind of like our morning deliberations. I should say, he was in a better mood until the group date from hell.

Shawntel got the next one-on-one date. The street date was a blast for them. Shawntel didnít know much about dominoes but quickly learned and really got into it. The older woman they met and talked to, Auntie Bea, was really sweet but turns out she was a little like Dr. Ruth. She ended up giving Brad and Shawntel sex advice. That night they got to experience one of the coolest things Iíve seen in the history of this show. There was a little shack hanging over the ocean just a few hundred yards down from the CuisinArt resort. Itís called the Dune Preserve and its home to Bankie Banx, one of the most famous and talented reggae singers in all the Caribbean. The crowd you saw was a few locals and folks from the tourism board. The great thing is once Brad and Shawntel left, the party continued. We sat around listening to Bankie, and when he took a break his daughter, who sounded just like Alicia Keys, took over. Amazing to see so much talent on such a small island.

Britt got the third and final one-on-one date this week. We all woke up that day to find the ridiculously huge yacht parked just off shore. Considering how fantastic Bradís previous two dates were and how close he feels towards Emily and Shawntel, it didnít take long to realize he just didnít have that with Britt. As you saw, Brittís exit was very different than any weíve ever had before. Instead of just leaving you got to see Britt go back to the ladies villa and tell the other women she was packing up and going home. Nobody saw this coming and the women were shocked and upset. Once again this move proved to the women that Brad was very serious about finding his wife.

Unfortunately because of all the drama the women didnít go to bed until about one oíclock in the morning. Brad had interviews to do when he got back to his room, so he never got to sleep that night, because he had to be back at the womenís villa at about 2:30 for the wake up call for the group date. So the girls had been asleep for about an hour when Brad snuck into the villa and woke them up. Ashley H was a little freaked out and thought there was an intruder. Let me just say that over the years we have done some pretty cool things but being a part of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition might just take the cake. This is such an iconic magazine and issue; itís a real honor for us to be apart of it. I got up early that morning to meet the SI crew and watch them work. I have to give the women credit. Most women would have absolutely freaked out if you surprised them with something like this. This is something most women would probably like a little heads up on. Michelle, Ashley and Chantal took it all in stride and really stepped up to the challenge. They all looked like they had been modeling for years.

The other thing I quickly noticed while talking to the women was that the claws were coming out, and I knew this was going to turn out to be a long day for Brad. As bad as I thought the date might go for him, it actually went worse. At this point the novelty of hanging out together and even living together has completely worn off. These women now just want to date Brad alone. As you saw, the date went from bad to worse and there was nothing Brad could do to put out this fire. One important thing I should point out is the green frozen drinks they were enjoying on this date were frozen mojitos. This is a specialty at the Cuisin Art resort and they are fantastic. Other than a bad group date, they are guaranteed to make your life better.

The rose ceremony was at a beautiful private house about ten minutes away called Le Bleu. If you have the coin, you can rent this house, which comes with a chef and butler service. This place was incredible. The little beach cove where we held the rose ceremony was like it was made for us. I have to once again give major props to our lighting and art department for dressing it up and making it look that fantastic. Dennis and Ange, you guys are the best. By the time Brad arrived for the cocktail party he was done and he was especially done with Michelle. I know many of you have been dying for this day to come and it finally did. Bradís patience quickly wore thin with Michelle and their relationship really fell apart over the last two weeks. On a personal note, I will miss her narration of the show. She has a wicked sense of humor and was fun to have around. Come on ó you have to admit she made you laugh a few times with her comments.

One last note about St. Martin/Anguilla before we pack up and head back home: If you ever get a chance to go you have to stop by the famous sunset bar. Its one of those things you have to check off of your bucket list. The bar is literally at the end of the runway at St. Martinís Princess Juliana airport that backs up to the beach. The novelty of it is the planes landing come right over your head. When planes are landing or taking off all the patrons file out of the bar and walk out on the road. Go to YouTube and look up planes landing at sunset bar and youíll see what Iím talking about. A few of us got up early the day we were leaving and went to check it out and we were blown away, literally. From the Caribbean we head back to the states for hometown dates next week. As you can imagine these are both emotional and extremely entertaining. Wait until you see Shawntel show Brad exactly what she does for a living. Until then, thank you for watching the show and thanks to those that watched me host the Grammy red carpet show for TV Guide Network Sunday.

BRAD CROSSES THE COUNTRY TO JOIN THE FOUR REMAINING BACHELORETTESIN THEIR HOMETOWNS AND FINDS HIMSELF ON THE HOT SEAT WITHTHEIR FAMILIES, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21

"Episode 1508" - The stakes are high for Brad as he leaves on an exciting, emotionally charged trip across the country to visit the final four women's hometowns. How will he withstand the scrutiny of Chantal's very successful entrepreneurial father? Will Ashley H.'s ambitious career goals stand in her way of finding love with Brad? Will Shawntel, the beautiful mortician, be able to stand up to her father and his long held, cherished plans for her to succeed him in the family business? Finally, will Brad get to meet Emily's daughter, who she has never been introduced to anyone she has dated, and how will that decision affect their relationship? Everyone meets in NY as Brad makes another gut-wrenching decision to narrow the field to the final three women, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Brad is eager to meet the families of the four bachelorettes and learn more about the women he is falling in love with. His first stop is Seattle, the home of Chantal, the feisty bachelorette who has taken him on an emotional roller coaster ride. He gets to see her more lovable side as she introduces him to her pets. But when he escorts her to her family's imposing residence, he must win the approval of her father, a former professional football player and self-made businessman. Will he impress this intimidating impresario, or will his nerves get the better of him?

Next Brad flies cross country to Madawaska, Maine, where Ashley H. couldn't be more thrilled to show off her hometown. Although Ashley has shown Brad her insecure side in the past, here she is all smiles and full of energy. Brad is charmed by the quaint town, where the couple pick out lobsters at a local market and shop at an unmanned fruit stand where payment is on the honor system. Later that night, after talking to her proud stepfather, Brad wonders if he might be getting in the way of Ashley's ambitious career goals. What will he find out from Ashley's sister, and will it change his mind? It is definitely a topic that he will need to address with her before he thinks about a proposal.

The spookiest hometown date in "Bachelor" history awaits Brad in Chico, California, where he meets up with Shawntel at the mortuary where she works. She gives Brad a tour before taking him to the embalming room, where she shares the intricacies of the process with him. It may be a little creepy, but Brad gains a newfound respect for this beautiful woman, realizing that her true passion is to provide loving support for grieving families. However, when he meets Shawntel's family, her father reveals that he plans to have his daughter succeed him as director of the funeral home. Will this stand in either Shawntel's or Brad's way in pursuing a happy ending?

Brad's final hometown date is with Emily in Charlotte, North Carolina. This sensitive single mom must figure out if she is comfortable enough to introduce Brad to her daughter, who has never met a man she has dated. Will she be able to take this crucial step, and how will it affect her romance with Brad?

When Brad and the women meet in New York for a dramatic rose ceremony, the Bachelor has a difficult goodbye for one heartbroken bachelorette, but he is that much closer to finding his future wife. Now three women remain, and they are off on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to South Africa.

Iíve said it four or five times and Iíll say it again: I love the hometown dates on this show. The trips to Costa Rica and Anguilla were fantastic, but Brad and the women were happy to stop living in the group dynamic and take this next step. We started in Seattle with Chantal. Brad had never been to Seattle so what was the first thing he wanted to do? Yes, stop at a Starbucks for a cup of coffee, because as you know Seattle is the only place in the country to get Starbucks. The irony of this trip was that itís rained on us everywhere weíve been but the weather in Seattle where it always rains was beautiful. Chantal was looking forward to Brad meeting her family, but she was really nervous about him meeting her dog Boca. A couple things stood out to me on this hometown date: Brad really seems comfortable and to fit in with Chantalís family. They seemed all but ready to have a wedding on the spot. The other thing I noticed is Chantalís dadís wine cellar. Wow, I have cellar envy.

After Seattle, Brad and the crew headed to the other side of the earth (at least it felt like it) to visit Ashley in Madawaska. When the travel agent said, ďYou canít get there from here,Ē we should have listened. Our crew flew from Seattle to New York City. From New York it was down to Boston, and then a little prop plane to a place called Presque Isle. That leaves you a lovely two-hour drive to Madawaska. With a small town comes small hotels. The crew had to split up into a few different hotels as I think we tripled the population of the town when we arrived. As Ashley pointed out there are a lot of moose in this town. They warned our crew not to drive at night, as thereís a really good chance youíll have a run-in with a moose. Brad helped Ashleyís stepdad boil the lobsters. The family messed with Brad for just a bit and made him put on a lobster bib before letting him in on the joke and allowing him take it off. Not sure if you noticed but Ashleyís mom is a big fan of the show, so she was really excited to meet Brad. He was a bit of a celebrity in the house. Overall, like Chantalís visit it was easy and comfortable. It was a really good rebound for Ashley after what has been a couple rough weeks for her.

Then there was the hometown trip of death, literally. As you could tell, Shawntel is very serious about her job and she and her family mean a lot to the community in Chico, Calif. The conversation Brad had with Shawntelís father, who expressed his concern about his daughter leaving the city and thus abandoning the family business, definitely weighed on Bradís mind the entire week. Yes, in the end her dad did say he wished them well and gave them his blessing, but that moment and that pressure of taking her away hung over the date and probably played a factor in Bradís final decision. Add to that the fact that Brad wasnít feeling nearly as much for Shawntel as she was for him, and it made the decision to send her home the right one to make this week. Oh, there was one other thing on Bradís mind ó the fact that the guy is a little freaked out by death doesnít help when youíre dating a funeral director. Thatís something he can talk to the therapist about next time. In her exit interview you could really tell sheís an amazing woman and really cared for Brad. There was no bitterness or contempt, just appreciation for the experience and love for him, and that was very cool to see. One last little note about Shawntelís hometown date: Her mom Coleen loves Mai Tais, so Brad brought all the fixins over and tried to make her one. That was the drink Brad handed her in the kitchen while they were talking. Not nearly as good as the frozen mojitos we enjoyed while in Anguilla.

From Chico, it was time to head east again to Charlotte, North Carolina. This was a very important trip for Brad and he was more nervous about this visit than any of the others. He had made so much out of meeting Emilyís daughter Ricki that the pressure was palpable. In the end Ricki did warm up to Brad and they had a great visit. Ricki actually drew Brad a picture of him with a butterfly, representing the kite he gave her. But there is something about Brad and Emilyís relationship thatís almost awkward. The part where Brad told Emily he wasnít going to kiss her out of respect for her and her daughter cracked me up. That was spoken like a guy who doesnít have kids. I loved Emilyís reaction where she said if this works out sheíll be upstairs sleeping every night! Brad is trying so hard to do the right thing here ó itís very sweet but quite entertaining to watch. I met Brad and the ladies back in New York City for the rose ceremony. We usually hold this rose ceremony in Los Angeles but we figured since weíre heading on to South Africa we might as well keep it on the east coast. Next week we head off on the exotic dates deep in the bush in South Africa. Itís a very interesting episode as the fantasy suite cards arrive.

but who woud pass up that MANSION of Chantel O's family?? although Emily's is the most down to earth choice.. and Ashley is the bubbly- funniest one.. Chantel has the most to offer brad in financial security.. No one can say that wouldnt impact thier choice..

poor Shawntel.. she shouldnt have done the step by step embombing procedure with Brad.. it ultimatly showed Brad that she can quielty rid of him thru the nite with no mental impact/guilt!! .. OKKK JUST JOKING PEEPPS!

A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME ADVENTURE BEGINS AS BRAD SWEEPS THE FINAL THREEBACHELORETTES AWAY FOR FANTASY OVERNIGHT DATES IN THE EXOTIC LANDOF SOUTH AFRICA, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28

This Season's Spectacular Cast of "Dancing with the Stars" Will Be Announced LiveDuring Tonight's Episode of "The Bachelor"

"Episode 1509" - Romantic adventures await Brad and the final three women - Ashley H., Chantal and Emily - as they travel to spectacular South Africa. From a remarkable safari, to a private ride on an elephant, to a picnic high atop majestic cliffs known as "God's Window," the dates are filled with passion and excitement, as Brad continues to explore what his future would be like with each of these potential mates. At the end of each evening, Brad will present the bachelorette with an invitation to spend an intimate night together in a "fantasy suite," with the hope that she will accept. But will she? It's a wild, romantic ride with each of the women - until Brad makes a shocking, heart-wrenching decision he thought he would never have to make -- on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Brad and the bachelorettes settle in at the picture perfect Lion Sands Private Game Reserve in Kruger National Park in Sabi Sand, South Africa. The Bachelor begins his South African journey with an exclusive safari with an excited Chantal, who can't wait to explore the African wilderness with him. As their jeep powers through the rugged terrain, the couple find themselves up close and personal with remarkable creatures... giraffes, elephants and lions roam freely around them. Later, at an intimate dinner, Chantal wastes no time making her feelings and intentions clear to Brad. Will her passion serve as a cautionary red flag to the Bachelor, or will he throw caution to the wind and offer her the fantasy suite card so that they can spend the night in a romantic tree house in the wild?

The next day Brad fulfills one of Emily's dreams - a private elephant ride for two. A breathtaking jaunt atop the giant animals brings them to an elephant watering hole, where they stop for a snack. Emily expresses her fears about Brad stepping into the role of an instant father to her beloved daughter. Will he be able to allay her concerns, and will Emily be ready to take the next step with Brad to the fantasy suite, or will she leave him disappointed?

On his final date this week, Brad surprises Ashley H. with an incredible helicopter tour over the magnificent South African landscape. They touch down for a picnic high atop the dazzling cliffs known to the locals as "God's Window." The setting might have been romantic, but the conversation turns serious as Brad expresses his concerns over Ashley's ambitious plans for the future. Later that night, tensions rise between the two as they try to communicate as they once did. Will this once starry-eyed couple be able to reconnect with the help of the fantasy suite card?

The drama starts at the rose ceremony - even before any roses are offered - as Brad asks to speak to one of the women about their overnight date. He is hoping that the intense conversation he has with her will bring the clarity he needs to make this important decision. In one emotional moment, Brad makes a jaw-dropping choice. The Bachelor and the final two women toast to their final destination, Cape Town, South Africa, and the opportunity to meet Brad's family. But as Brad's second chance to find love on "The Bachelor" is drawing to a close, the question isn't only whom will he choose, but will she accept?

Itís been a long road, and the end is in sight for Brad and three lucky ladies. After an incredible week of hometowns and a very emotional rose ceremony, Brad told the women about our next stop, the beautiful country of South Africa, home of the 2010 World Cup (as a soccer fan, this is a huge deal). Emily, Ashley, and Chantal were extremely excited. Every week they tried to guess where we were going next, and none of them ever guessed that Brad would take them halfway around the world. Weíve traveled all over the world, but there are very few places that take longer to get to than South Africa. But after over 20 hours in the air, we arrived at Kruger Mpumpalanga International Airport, and let me tell you, from the moment we landed, it was worth every second. Lush rolling hills, friendly people, and the promise of the most anticipated dates of every season of The Bachelor, the overnight dates.

Yes, itís that time again, where Brad will have to hand these women an envelope with an all-too-familiar message. But before we go any further, I want to address a question that a lot of people have asked me: Yes, for the most part, people know whatís in the envelope and are not surprised about the fantasy suite, but that doesnít take away from the nerves, excitement, and anticipation of finally being able to be alone with someone after weeks of dating. All day, they have to consider whether or not theyíre ready to take that next step, and when the envelope arrives, itís really a telling moment.

Now, on to the dates. All of our dates took place in or around Kruger Park, which is one of the largest game reserves in the world. When I say large, I mean massive. They told me itís roughly the size of Israel. Itís the very definition of epic and itís probably the best place to see Africaís ďBig Five.Ē On a great safari, youíll see all of them ó lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards.

Chantal got the first date, and pretty quickly they saw four of the big five. Only the leopard eluded them. But those werenít the only animals that they saw. The hippo that was joining them for lunch was close enough to charge, but they didnít know how dangerous hippos are until after lunch. Of course, we had guides nearby to make sure everyone was safe, but that hippo was not kidding around. During lunch, the animal hi-jinks continued, as Brad tricked Chantal into eating worms. It looked a lot like beef jerky and Brad didnít let Chantal think anything different until after, when he explained worms are a local delicacy. This didnít sit very well with Chantal and I donít recommend any man tricking his date into eating worms. Once the fantasy suite card arrived, they got to see one of our coolest locations ever. The tree house is unbelievable. Itís literally out in the middle of nowhere and has a complete 360 degree view of the African bush. Needless to say, there were huge flying beetles dive-bombing the canopy and as we drove away for the night, we could hear the loud growling of lions. We just hoped Brad and Chantal would make it through to the morning. I talked to Brad the next day and he told me it was one of the most amazing and scariest experiences of his life.

As soon as Emily found out she was going to South Africa, she said that one of her lifelong dreams was to ride an elephant. Brad didnít know this, but he picked the elephant riding date especially for her. I think a big part of that had to do with Brad thinking what a cool story this would be for little Ricki. As soon as Brad and Emily got on top of Tembo, they immediately started talking about her hometown date. He told her how much it meant to him to meet Ricki, and Emily just wished that Ricki could have been with them both in Africa. We took some pictures so Emily could take them home to share the experience. The elephants were really well cared for, but they are still wild animals. Our crew had to hide in bushes all over the trail to make sure that none of the elephants got spooked. The watering hole where the elephants stopped and played was a real highlight. It was amazing to see such big animals playing like little kids. Emily and Brad spent a long time watching them. Although at one point the elephants took their play to the next level; youíll see what Iím talking about next week on the Women Tell All special! Letís just say I may have given the fantasy suite card to the wrong couple.

The dinner location for Emilyís date was spectacular. Things were going really smoothly all day, but to be honest, no one knew if Emily was going to accept the fantasy suite card. After all, she has a daughter at home, and she always put her daughter first. That said, she made it clear that she just wanted time to spend with Brad, especially if she was going to move forward in the relationship. Just to make things awkward, when Emily opened the envelope, the key fell to the ground, slipped through the cracks of the floorboards, and disappeared into the water below. Luckily, we had a spare.

The final date of the week went to Ashley. Who would have thought that Ashley would be afraid of helicopters? This is The Bachelor! She was pretty quick to come around and hop in, but this helicopter ride was a little different. Bradís side of the chopper didnít have a door, so he was just about hanging on the outside. When they landed at Godís Window in Nelspruit, the name spoke for itself. Views like this just donít exist anywhere else. During the aerial tour of the bush, they even got to see something really rare: a pack of wild horses running through a clearing. While this was going on, back at base camp, an angry hyena tore through one of our coolers with its teeth and drank a lot of our water. Of course, we held off on dinner for Brad and Ashley for a while until we were sure the coast was clear. Maybe this was a sign, as this was a very emotional date for Brad and Ashley, and I think their up-and-down relationship was starting to wear on Brad. Itís a little close to the end to keep ďretracting,Ē to use Ashleyís words. (On a side note, as we drove in for the rose ceremony, we finally did see a leopard up in a tree. Check that one off, and the ďBig FiveĒ was complete.)

It was good to be back in the deliberation chair with Brad. Weíd talked every step of the way, but now, I could see that Brad was really starting to feel the pressure of his decisions. Heís been making bold decisions this whole way and now he felt like he had to make another one. I really respect Brad for pulling Ashley aside and trying to make sure he was doing the right thing by letting her go ó it was a tough and surprising moment for everyone.

I have so much more to say about Ashley, her exit and her relationship with Brad, but Iím going to hold off until next week. Next Monday night, all of your favorite bachelorettes from this season will be back to talk about everything you did see and some things you didnít on The Women Tell All. This turned out to be one of the most surprisingly aggressive and emotional Tell All specials Iíve ever hosted. I canít begin to tell you how blown away youíll be by Michelle. Itís a special you wonít want to miss! As always, you can find much more about the show on abc.com/bachelor, and be sure to follow us at @Thebachelortv and @chrisbharrison on Twitter. Have a great week and I hope to see you all at the Tell All next Monday night!

BRAD FACES THE WOMEN HE REJECTED AND THE CLAWS COME OUT, AS 15 OF THE SEASON'S MOST MEMORABLE BACHELORETTES CONFRONT THE HANDSOME ENTREPRENEUR ON "THE BACHELOR: THE WOMEN TELL ALL," AIRING MONDAY, MARCH 7 ON ABC"The Women Tell All" -- It's an explosive reunion viewers won't want to miss, as the most memorable bachelorettes from this season - including Alli, Ashley H., Ashley S., Britt, Jackie, Madison, Melissa, Michelle and Raichel -- return to confront each other and Brad one last time on national television to dish the dirt and tell their side of the story. Michelle, the season's most controversial bachelorette, comes under fire from the other women. Will she fight back and be her fiery self, or will viewers see another, softer side of her? Will sparks fly when Melissa and Raichel face off again after their volatile argument that likely cost both a chance to be with Brad? A devastated Ashley H. admits she still has regrets about her last date with Brad, but what has she learned from her experience? And will Ashley S. find the closure she never got from the Bachelor after her disastrous two-on-one date?

A sneak peek at the season finale and the final two bachelorettes - Chantal and Emily - will also be featured, on "The Bachelor: The Women Tell All," MONDAY, MARCH 7 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Michelle is the target for the women's wrath. The bachelorettes confront her about her whole approach to dating Brad and how her snarky comments about the other women really ruffled their feathers. A tearful Michelle admits that her behavior is a defense mechanism and that she feels guilty for leaving her daughter. She claims that she really came on the show to find love for both her and her daughter. But that just sets the women off more. Sarah, Jackie and Stacey pile on, with Michelle becoming hysterical. But Britt defends her and wonders why anyone would take her behavior so seriously, given how beautiful and funny she is.

Nothing has changed between Melissa and Raichel since their explosive fight at the beginning of the series. They really go at each other, as Melissa tries to explain herself and Raichel immediately reverts to calling her "poisonous" and "toxic," blaming her for ruining her chances with Brad. But the other women jump in and point to errors both women made, in an effort to calm them.

When a distraught Ashley H. takes the hot seat, she admits that she didn't really hear Brad when he tried to tell her how he felt about her the whole time, and that her retracting from him in the end was a way of protecting herself. Was she truly in love with Brad? This was an eye-opening experience for Ashley H., and she reveals how she has changed because of it.

Ashley S., who had one of the most emotional departures of the season, discusses the impact her past bad relationships have had on her and why she was hopeful in dating Brad and getting the "first impression" rose. Her optimism turned to despair when Brad rejected her in Las Vegas, telling her she wasn't the woman he saw as his wife. She compares it to "a dagger to her heart."

Then Brad takes the hot seat and is confronted by the women he rejected. What will he tell Ashley S., Michelle and Ashley H. about his decisions to move on without them?

However, in talking about the woman he chose in the end, Brad reveals that he is happier than at any other time in his life. This woman has changed his life, and he has fallen in love with her more and more each day.

It's the bachelorettes like you've never seen them before! The special also includes a sneak peek at the season finale and the final two bachelorettes, Chantal and Emily.